Paranoid (Black Sabbath song)

"Paranoid"
1976 UK reissue picture sleeve, featuring "Snowblind" as the B-side.
Single by Black Sabbath
from the album Paranoid
B-side"The Wizard"
Released29 August 1970[1]
RecordedJune 1970
StudioIsland Studios, London[2]
GenreHeavy metal[3][4][5]
Length2:48
LabelVertigo
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Rodger Bain
Black Sabbath singles chronology
"The Wizard"
(1970) 		"Paranoid"
(1970) 		"Children of the Grave"
(1971)
Alternative cover
2000 UK promotional reissue picture sleeve featuring the original B-side, "The Wizard".[6][a]
2000 UK promotional reissue picture sleeve featuring the original B-side, "The Wizard".[6][a]
Music video
"Paranoid" on YouTube

"Paranoid" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath, released in 1970 off the band's second studio album, Paranoid (1970). It is the first single from the album, while the B-side is the song "The Wizard". The song is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavy metal songs of all time. It reached number 4 on the UK singles chart and number 61 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Black Sabbath's first song to place on both of those charts.[6][7]

Song information

"Paranoid" was the first Black Sabbath single release, coming six months after their self-titled debut was released. Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler (from Guitar World magazine, March 2004):

A lot of the Paranoid album was written around the time of our first album, Black Sabbath. We recorded the whole thing in about 2 or 3 days, live in the studio. The song "Paranoid" was written as an afterthought. We basically needed a 3 minute filler for the album, and Tony came up with the riff. I quickly did the lyrics, and Ozzy was reading them as he was singing.[8]

The song is an E minor pentatonic and only uses power chords. The guitar solo is a dry signal on the left channel, which is patched through a ring modulator and routed to the right channel; this effect was used again on the 1978 song, "Johnny Blade".

According to extant lyric sheets, "Paranoid" was at one time titled "The Paranoid".[9]

"Paranoid" eventually became the name of the album. Originally, the band had wanted to call the album War Pigs after the song of the same name, but the record company persuaded them to use "Paranoid" instead because it was less offensive.[10]

"Paranoid" drew controversy for apparently encouraging suicide, much like Osbourne's later solo song "Suicide Solution". Particularly, the lyric "I tell you to enjoy life" was misheard as a mondegreen: "I tell you to end your life".[11]

Reception

Cash Box described the song as being "as dense, musically as 'Whole Lotta Love'", stating that "crashing, non-stop beat with gobs of bass and drums laced liberally with stinging, echoey vocals and hot guitar licks move the song along at a blistering pace."[12]

"Paranoid" was ranked No. 34 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs.[13] In March 2005, Q magazine placed it at number 11 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. Rolling Stone ranked it number 250 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time[14] and 13th on their 2023 list "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time".[15] "Paranoid" was ranked the fifth best Black Sabbath song by Rock – Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check.[16] In 2020, Kerrang! ranked the song number five on their list of the 20 greatest Black Sabbath songs,[17] and in 2021, Louder Sound ranked the song number six on their list of the 40 greatest Black Sabbath songs.[18]

Personnel

Accolades

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
NME United Kingdom "All Time Top 100 Singles"[19] 1976 41
Spin United States "100 Greatest Singles of All Time"[20] 1989 81
Radio Veronica Netherlands "Super All-Time List"[21] 1989 16
Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame
 United States "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs
that Shaped Rock and Roll"[22]
 1994 *
Guitarist United Kingdom "Top 100 Guitar Solos of All-Time"[23] 1998 84
Rolling Stone United States "500 Greatest Songs of All Time"[24] 2004 250
Q United Kingdom "1010 Songs You Must Own!"[25] 2004 *
Q United Kingdom "100 Greatest Guitar Tracks Ever!"[26] 2005 11
Q United Kingdom "100 Greatest Songs of All Time"[27] 2006 100
VH1 United States "40 Greatest Metal Songs"[28] 2006 1
VH1 United States "100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs"[29] 2008 4

(*) designates unordered lists.

Track listing

  • 7" single (Vertigo 6059 010)[30]
  1. "Paranoid" – 2:45
  2. "The Wizard" – 4:20
  • 7" single (Vertigo 6059 014)
  1. "Paranoid" – 2:50
  2. "Rat Salad" – 2:30
  • 7" singles (Vertigo AS 109)
  1. "Paranoid" – 2:50
  2. "Happy Being Me"[I] – 15:54
  • 7" 1977 re-release (Immediate 103 466)
  1. "Paranoid" – 2:50
  2. "Evil Woman" – 3:25
  • 7" 1977 re-release (Nems SRS 510.044)
  1. "Paranoid" – 2:50
  2. "Tomorrow's Dream" – 3:11
  • 7" 1980 re-release (Spiegelei INT 110.604)
  1. "Paranoid" – 2:45
  2. "Snowblind" – 5:25
  • Digital Single (Reunion Live Promo Single)
  1. "Paranoid" (Live at the NEC, Birmingham, UK - December 1997) - 3:49
  2. "Psycho Man" (Radio Edit) - 4:03
  3. "Psycho Man" (Danny Saber Remix Edit) - 4:14

Note

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[63] Platinum 90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[64] Platinum 600,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[65] Platinum 50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[66] 3× Platinum 90,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[67] Gold 25,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[68] 2× Platinum 20,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[69] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[70] Platinum 600,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[71] Platinum 2,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

Cindy & Bert version

In 1971, German schlager vocal duo Cindy & Bert covered the song with lyrics based on Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles as "Der Hund von Baskerville". The unlikely cover version with a heavy Hammond organ, featured in a TV show[72] with a tiny Pekingese dog standing in as "hound" and dancers getting ushered back to their seats, has become a collector's curiosity and a document of 1971 zeitgeist.

The Dickies version

American punk rock group the Dickies covered the song for their debut album The Incredible Shrinking Dickies (1979). Released as single, it charted at #45 in the UK.[73]

Megadeth version

Megadeth's cover of "Paranoid" for the tribute album Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath received a Grammy nomination in 1995 for 'Best Metal Performance'.[74] This track also famously ends with drummer Nick Menza forgetting to end the song and continuing to play as Dave Mustaine repeatedly yells his name.

Legacy

  • In Finland, "Paranoid" has the same status as Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" in the United States as a song the audience finds humorous to request during a concert. So regardless of a band or the style of music in question, somebody may shout "Soittakaa 'Paranoid'!" ("Play 'Paranoid'!") during a gig.[86][87]

Footnotes

  1. ^ The sleeve design was first used on a 1970 Dutch release.

References

  1. ^ McIver 2006, p. 55.
  2. ^ Tice, Russell (1 January 1999). "Classic Tracks: Black Sabbath's "Paranoid"". MIX Online. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  3. ^ Chris Nickson (3 August 2002). Ozzy Knows Best: The Amazing Story of Ozzy Osbourne, from Heavy Metal Madness to Father of the Year on MTV's "The Osbournes". St. Martin's Press. p. 102. ISBN 978-1-4299-5452-5.
  4. ^ Wilkening, Matthew (17 August 2011). "10 Best Black Sabbath Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Paranoid". Rolling Stone. 9 December 2004. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  6. ^ a b Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. p. 68. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
  7. ^ a b "Black Sabbath Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Black Sabbath Paranoid Lyrics". Lyrics007.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Stolz, Nolan. 2019. "A Rumination on Black Sabbath's Birmingham and the Value of Music Tourism". Riffs Journal (September): 18". 19 September 2019.
  10. ^ "Paranoid – Black Sabbath –". Last.fm. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  11. ^ De Atley, Richard (21 January 1986). "Heavy Metal Singer Denies His Song Caused Suicide". Associated Press News. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  12. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 24 October 1970. p. 16. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  13. ^ "VH1 40 Greatest Metal Songs", 1–4 May 2006, VH1 Channel, reported by VH1.com; last accessed 10 September 2006
  14. ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. 9 December 2004. Archived from the original on 20 August 2006. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  15. ^ "The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 13 March 2023. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  16. ^ Rehe, Christoph (2013). Rock – Das Gesamtwerk der größten Rock-Acts im Check: alle Alben, alle Songs. Ein eclipsed-Buch (in German). Sysyphus Sysyphus Verlags GmbH. ISBN 978-3868526462.
  17. ^ Law, Sam (7 September 2020). "The 20 greatest Black Sabbath songs – ranked". Kerrang. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  18. ^ Brannigan, Paul (22 November 2021). "Black Sabbath's 40 greatest songs ever". Louder Sound. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  19. ^ "NME Lists". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  20. ^ "Spin: 100 Greatest Singles Of All Time (1989)". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  21. ^ "Super All-Time List – From 1989". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  22. ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  23. ^ "Guitar Lists". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 March 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  24. ^ "The Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  25. ^ "1010 Songs You Must Own!". rocklists.net. Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  26. ^ "Q Lists". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  27. ^ "Q Lists". rocklistmusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  28. ^ "40 Greatest Metal Songs (VH1 made a decent effort)". listology.com. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  29. ^ "VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs". stereogum.com. 5 January 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  30. ^ "Paranoid Vinyl 7" Discography". sabbath.se. Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  31. ^ "27 February 1971 Singles". poparchives.com.au. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
  32. ^ a b c "Black Sabbath – Paranoid (song)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  33. ^ "Black Sabbath – Paranoid (song)" (PDF). Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  34. ^ "TOP Hebdo". Top-france.fr. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  35. ^ "BLACK SABBATH: Paranoid (Single)". Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  36. ^ "Paranoid". irishcharts.ie.com. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  37. ^ "Hit per Interprete". HPI.
  38. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 43, 1970" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  39. ^ "SA Charts 1969 – 1989". rock.co.za. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
  40. ^ a b "Black Sabbath | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  41. ^ "Cashbox Top 100: December 26, 1970". Cashboxmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  42. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  43. ^ "Black Sabbath Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  44. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 31. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  45. ^ "Black-Sabbath: Paranoid" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  46. ^ "Black Sabbath – Paranoid" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  47. ^ "Black Sabbath Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  48. ^ "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 30/2025" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 30 July 2025. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  49. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  50. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of July 30, 2025". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  51. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 1 August 2025. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  52. ^ "Singel 2025 uke 31". IFPI Norge. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  53. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 25.07.2025–31.07.2025.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  54. ^ "Top 200 Singles Semana 30 de 2025" (PDF) (in European Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. p. 9. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  55. ^ "Top Internet Hits Russia Weekly Chart: Jul 24, 2025". TopHit. 25 July 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  56. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 31. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  57. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 31" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  58. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  59. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  60. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  61. ^ "Black Sabbath Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  62. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1970". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  63. ^ "Danish single certifications – Black Sabbath – Paranoid". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  64. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Black Sabbath; 'Paranoid')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  65. ^ "Italian single certifications – Black Sabbath – Paranoid" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  66. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Black Sabbath – Paranoid". Radioscope. Retrieved 5 March 2025. Type Paranoid in the "Search:" field.
  67. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2021 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 26 December 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  68. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Black Sabbath – Paranoid" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  69. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Black Sabbath – Paranoid". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
  70. ^ "British single certifications – Black Sabbath – Paranoid". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  71. ^ "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 30/2025" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  72. ^ ""Cindy & Bert – Der Hund von Baskerville (1971) Black Sabbath "Paranoid" Cover"". 11 August 2019 – via YouTube.
  73. ^ "DICKIES | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  74. ^ "Dave Mustaine Leaves Megadeth, Group Disbands After 20 Years Together". Blabbermouth. April 3, 2002. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  75. ^ "Sid & Nancy soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  76. ^ "Dazed and Confused soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  77. ^ "The Stoned Age soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  78. ^ "Any Given Sunday soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  79. ^ "Almost Famous soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  80. ^ "We are Marshall soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
  81. ^ "CHiPs soundtrack | Complete List of Songs". Soundtrackmania.net. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  82. ^ "Dave Mirra Soundtrack Revealed". IGN. 17 August 2001. Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  83. ^ Childers, Chad (5 July 2025). "All of the Ozzy Osbourne + Black Sabbath 'Back to the Beginning' Farewell Concert Setlists". Loudwire. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  84. ^ Clarke, Hilary (22 July 2025). "Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath singer and godfather of heavy metal, dead at 76". CNN. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  85. ^ Henni, Janine (31 July 2025). "King Charles' Guards Honor Ozzy Osbourne with a Rendition of Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid' Like You've Never Heard". People. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  86. ^ Timo Rautio: Rokatessa roiskuu osa 3 (2004)
  87. ^ Walter De Camp: "Sisäpiiri: Walter De Campin tutkimuksia – Extreme-seksin maantiede" An article appeared in paper City-lehti, 2006, issue 20, page 26 URL: [1]

Sources

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.